Sheehan emotional after Hewitt conviction

Sheehan emotional after Hewitt conviction

Tears streamed down Suellen Sheehan's face when former Grand slam tennis champion Bob Hewitt was convicted of two counts of rape and one of sexual assault by the High Court sitting in Palm Ridge.

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Sheehan, one Hewitt's former students he had raped, left the court room after the announcement and rushed past a dozen cameras to get to the ladies toilets.

 

Outside the court room prosecutor Carina Coetzee covered her face with her hands, smiled and shook her head.

 

Shortly after Judge Bert Bam made the announcement, Hewitt's lawyer Terry Price told the court he wanted to present evidence in mitigation of sentencing.

 

"We're dealing with a man who is 75 years old," he told Bam.

 

The court adjourned for 15 minutes to decide on bail and sentencing proceedings.

 

The Australian-born Hewitt had been on trial charged with raping two of his former students, Theresa "Twiggy" Tolken and Sheehan in the 1980s, and the sexual assault of a third woman, who may not be named, in the 1990s.

 

He gave tennis lessons to the girls. He had pleaded not guilty.

 

 

 

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